1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a protective guard for growing fruit or vegetables. More particularly the guard relates to a protective device which may be fitted around fruit or vegetable during its growth and ripening stage to protect it from birds or animals while at the same time providing sufficient airflow and sunlight to permit the fruit or vegetable to mature and ripen.
2. Description of the Related Art
Although the present invention has a particular utility for the home gardener who grows a limited crop of fruit and/or vegetables and wishes to be able to harvest substantially all of the crop, it also has application to commercial farmers who wish to increase the percentage of harvest of matured fruit or vegetable. It is known that as fruits and vegetables of various types mature and began to ripen various types of animals as well as birds will attack the fruit since it appears to be particularly appetizing to them. In many instances commercial growers anticipate loss of 10% to 25% of their crop and merely tolerate the same with the theory that there is a sufficient volume to allow this and that this is merely part of the cost of doing business.
However where the home gardener is concerned, there is a limited space in which crops such as tomatoes may be grown or alternatively there may be a limited number of fruit trees such as apples, pears, peaches, plums and the like. Under these circumstances, the home gardener wishes to be able to harvest the maximum yield possible from the crop so as to make the most efficient utilization of the space available and to have a sufficient amount of the fresh crop to eat during the ripening process or alternatively to can or preserve for future utilization post ripening season.
In the prior art, various devices have been utilized for the purpose intended by the present invention. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,406,746 to Hoshino discloses a protective bag which is placed over the fruit and substantially eliminates the penetration of sunlight in the early stages of growth but gradually has its opacity reduced so that sufficient light may pass through to allow ripening of the fruit and the changing of its pigmentation. As is disclosed in Hoshino such previously has been accomplished by having a protective bag made in layers with each of the layers being removed manually during the process of growth. Such a process is obviously quite expensive.
Other protective devices have been made from a mesh product such as wire or the like and is formed in halves which can be secured together by a latching mechanism or by friction. Examples of such devices are shown in British Provisional Specification No. 7585 of Smith and German patent 123,838 to Dehler the manufacturer of such mesh type devices again is relatively expensive and renders the product difficult to use.
Devices molded from celluloid or glass and secured together have also been utilized. Examples of such devices are shown in British provisional specification 385 in which molded glass hemispheres are held together by a steel galvanized wire which is clamped together and fitted over the branch of the plant holding the vegetable or fruit. A device made of molded celluloid and held together by a bailnet type fastener is shown in Osztaly patent 463,582 to Halmbrechtsben. Again such devices are difficult to secure around the fruit or vegetable.
A similar type of molded plastic device is shown in Japanese Patent 6-178623 and United Kingdom Patents 2215173 A and 223656 A. In each of these patents a molded plastic device having transparency and/or openings provided therein is fitted around the fruit. In the Japanese patent disclosure lugs protruding from the periphery of the structure are used to attach the structure to the limbs of the plant or tree while in the two British patents the device is merely fitted around the stem to which the fruit or vegetable is attached and rests against the fruit or vegetable.
From the prior art it is seen that the protective structures either rest upon the fruit or vegetable or alternatively some type of lug or extension is used to attach the protective guard to the limb or stem of the tree or plant to keep it suspended away from the surface of the fruit or vegetable.
When the protective device has openings provided therein to allow appropriate circulation of air therethrough rests against the fruit or vegetable, birds and some other pests can attack the fruit or vegetable through the openings. It is therefore imperative that the surface of the fruit or vegetable be spaced from the inner surface of the guard by an amount sufficient to prevent the animals, bird or other pest from being able to attack the fruit or vegetable.